Congo Kinsasha RPCV John Pinkowski will continue his career with the Missouri Department of Conservation
SO WHAT CAN WE DO? For years he's given professional service with a smile
BY DELLA MOEN
The business of the Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District is service - to provide leadership and administer programs to help conserve, improve, and sustain our natural resources and environment. Service depends on a competent staff.
A member of our qyality professional staff, our SWCD resource conservationist of 12 years, John Pinkowski, is leaving Stephenson County to continue his career with the Missouri Department of Conservation. His dedication to conservation and his pleasant professional manner - service with a smile - will be missed.
John came to Stephenson County with a background in aquatics and experience in the Peace Corps, having served in Zaire.
A special interest of his, among many others, is improving and preserving water quality. He worked with the County Health Department and provided leadership in the District and the Land use Council to bring the issue of properly sealing abandoned wells to the attention of the Illinois Department of Agriculture and other state agencies, an effort that resulted in the availability of cost share funds for sealing unused wells.
Doing a top-notch job with any assignment is second nature for John and something for which he will be remembered. He successfully responded to the challenge of a wide variety of tasks, many of them behind-the-scenes, such as:
-- Providing technical assistance for riparian buffers and other erosion control practices with a special expertise in streambank stabilization;
-- Administering the Conservation Practices Program and Streambank Stabilization grants for cost-sharing;
-- Serving on the Board for the Sugar-Pecatonica Rivers Ecosystem Partnership (IDNR) and writing and submitting grants that were received for projects in the County;
-- Organizing and conducting workshops and field tours on behalf of the District;
-- Writing articles for area publications;
-- Organizing and promoting fish and tree sales to provide financial support for the District;
-- Preparing Land Evaluation and Site Assessments and Natural Resources Inventories for county zoning officials and developers;
-- Working closely with the Health Department in administering the cost-share program for sealing abandoned wells;
-- Presenting educational programs in school classrooms;
-- Organizing an annual Vocational Ag Contest for Stephenson County schools;
-- Helping to maintain equipment as needed;
-- Cooperating with District partners, such as Nat-ural Resources Conservation Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Freeport Park District and Pheasants Forever;
-- And he found time to volunteer for roadside cleanup and bell-ringing for the Salvation Army.
Many farmers and landowners over the years have sought John's assistance, a testimony to his competent and caring service.
You are invited to share your appreciation and well-wishes with John at an open house in his honor from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 12 at the USDA Service Center, 1620 W. Galena, Freeport.
Della Moen is a board member of the Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District and writes a weekly conservation column for The Journal-Standard. She can be reached at stephensonswcd@il.usda.gov or 815-235-2161 ext 3.
